Through The Looking Glass

Misterton was an end to end layout with an operating area on the 'back side' and viewing area on the 'front side'. After its conversion to an oval layout the operating side also became the viewing side. Whilst it is possible to crawl underneath to the original viewing side the gap there is really too narrow for comfortable viewing. That's a shame because there are interesting views there that are rarely seen. 

A trip to Ikea today to buy a couple of cheap mirrors (£5.99 each in 2010) to place on the wall and now we can appreciate the views from the other side of the railway line. OK, so the frames are unsightly and the join more so but they can be blended into the wall with a coat of blue paint. You know the funny thing about this is that when you are standing in the railway room looking at the layout or operating the trains your mind does not notice things like that, nor the clutter elsewhere in the room.

If we get down at eye level the scene really takes on a new dimension. This photo was taken looking into the mirror. Apart from seeing a side of the station building that is normally hidden we also see across the void of the operating area to the scenic section on the other side of the oval! The landscape and backscene there now become the backscene for this view! It's magical and bizarre like "Through the Looking-Glass, and What Alice Found There".